The present disclosure relates to a developer storage container for storing developer inside and an image forming apparatus provided with the same.
Conventionally, in an electrophotographic image forming apparatus, a developing process is performed by supplying developer (toner) from a developing device to an electrostatic latent image formed on a surface of a photoconductive drum serving as an image carrier. Further, the toner used in such a developing process is supplied from a developer storage container to the developing device.
There is known a developing device with a developer storage container (toner cartridge) including a toner discharge port, a housing including a toner receiving port for receiving the toner from the toner discharge port and configured to store the developer, and a stirring/conveying member configured to stir and convey the developer in the housing. In this developing device, a developer conveying ability by the stirring/conveying member is locally reduced on a side downstream of a toner receiving area equivalent to an area below the toner receiving port in the housing. In such a configuration, the developer is retained in the toner receiving area of the housing and the supply amount of the toner from the developer storage container via the toner receiving port is controlled according to the retained amount of this developer.
Further, there is known a stirring mechanism with a rotary shaft member provided inside a developer storage container (toner container) and a stirring member attached to that rotary shaft member. In this stirring mechanism, the stirring member is a film-like member having a predetermined length along an axial direction of the rotary shaft member and includes a plurality of movable pieces defined by a plurality of cuts perpendicular to the axial direction. In the stirring mechanism, toner stored in the developer storage container is stirred while each movable piece is deflected along a rotating direction by the stirring member rotating according to the rotation of the rotary shaft member.
In the above stirring mechanism, each movable piece of the stirring member extending along the axial direction of the rotary shaft member scoops up the toner stored in the developer storage container while being deflected along the rotating direction. Thus, the toner can be efficiently stirred.